Gene Mods
Gene Mods or Genetic Modifications (aka G-Mods) are new upgrades that can be taken by soldiers in XCOM: Enemy Within. XCOM Database Genetic Modification Using Meld to organically fuse elements of alien genetic adaptions into a soldier's body, Gene Mods grant the individual new super-human capabilities. Gene Mods are applied at the Genetics Lab, which can modify up to three soldiers at a time. Soldiers are removed from active duty for three days for each Gene Mod applied. Gene Mods can be administered to any soldier except MEC Troopers. Soldiers with Gene Mods can undergo Psi testing and the genetic modifications stack with Psi abilities. The Second Wave option "Mind Hates Matter" can be enabled to prevent this combination. Gene Mods Applying a Gene Mod costs 15 to and consumes 5 to . One Gene Mod can be applied to each of the following areas of a soldier's body (they can be swapped at a cost). Gene Mod Comparisons 'Neural Feedback vs Neural Damping' The usefulness of either mod is entirely dependent upon the presence and precieved threat level of psionic foes (Sectoid Commanders, Ethereals). Generally, it's best to spend Meld on other gene mods mid-to-late game. *'Neural Feedback' causes damage to psi attackers and puts all of their psi attacks on cooldown. Does not reduce the attacker's chance of success. **Neural Feedback provides a greater advantage against psi attackers; in the late game, squad composition consist of at least one psi soldier with Lead By Example, Psi Armor and Mind Shield. **Neural Feedback will always damage the psi attacker and force all their psi abilities on cooldown, regardless of whether the psi attack was successful or not. ***Neural Feedback renders an Ethereal into a walking target (all their abilities are Psi-based), allowing other squad members to easily close in without further risk. *'Neural Damping' confers +20 Will to soldiers against psi attacks and provides immunity to Panic and Mind Control; a successful Mind Control is cancelled and the soldier is rendered unconscious for one turn. **Neural Damping is less expensive, but does not prevent Ethereals from using other dangerous psi abilities (Psi Lance, Rift). 'Hyper Reactive Pupils vs Depth Perception' Both mods are useful for their respective candidates and make good choices for early application. *'Hyper Reactive Pupils' confer a +10 Aim after missing a shot. **Hyper Reactive Pupils applies to the first missed shot during Overwatch, Bullet Swarm, Double Tap, Sentinel, and Rapid Fire. *'Depth Perception' confers additional +5 Aim and +5 Crit Chance bonuses for height advantage. **Depth Perception synergies with elevated firing positions; when combined with S.C.O.P.E., the stacked bonuses allows for ridiculous accuracy. 'Adrenal Neurosympathy vs Secondary Heart' Neither gene mod is particularly powerful or dramatically better than the other, though each is more suited to certain roles. Generally, it's best to spend Meld on other gene mods in the early game. *'Adrenal Neurosympathy' confers +10 Aim, +1 Movement, +5% Critical Chance and removes panic from LoS allies (within 13-tile radius) once every 5 turns after a kill. **Adrenal Neurosympathy is less expensive and never completely stops being useful, but doesn't stack with itself; when given to multiple soldiers, the frequency of activation will only reset its duration. ***Adrenal Neurosympathy helps Rookies and Squaddies get the first few crucial kills they need to quickly gain promotions. ***Adrenal Neurosympathy is useless for soldiers that do not prioritize kills (i.e. Flush, Suppression, Disabling Shot). **Adrenal Neurosympathy can be a determining factor in a soldier's effectiveness in killing targets of interests, or positioning themselves behind better cover. Due to the bonus only occurring once every 5 turns after a kill, the chances of the bonus getting conferred is highly unpredictable. *'Secondary Heart' causes a soldier that takes lethal damage to be reduced to critically wounded instead and extends bleed out timer by 2 turns. Soldiers that survive will also not lose Will from critical wounds. (Ensure a Medikit is available to stabilize or revive the soldier afterwards). **Secondary Heart only protects against the first lethal shot in a mission. ***Secondary Heart does not defend against AoE damage (e.g. grenades) when critically wounded. ***Secondary Heart does not defend against Chryssalids and the Sectopods using Cluster Bomb. ***Secondary Heart's usefulness diminishes with the development of Titan Armor, Plasma Weapons, Mimetic Skin and Muscle Fiber Density. **Secondary Heart is of no value if the soldier is never downed. ***Secondary Heart allows a Mind Controlled ally to be taken down without concern and then revived afterwards. **Secondary Heart is most useful in Ironman mode. ***Secondary Heart, Mimetic Skin and Adaptive Bone Marrow are best applied to Covert Operatives and Psionic Squad Leaders. 'Muscle Fiber Density vs Adaptive Bone Marrow' Both mods are useful for their respective candidates and make good choices for early application. *'Muscle Fiber Density' confers superhuman leg strength, enabling the soldier to reach elevated positions without the need for climbing aids. **Muscle Fiber Density indirectly optimizes mobility and lethality by enhancing a soldier's ability to find elevated cover and firing positions, and reduces reliance on armors with a grapple or flight system. *'Adaptive Bone Marrow' confers reduction in recovery time for injuries by 66% (stacks with Rapid Recovery) and allows a soldier to regenerate 2 HP per turn (up to their max HP without armor). **Adaptive Bone Marrow's recovery and durability significantly reduces downtime between missions. ***Adaptive Bone Marrow supplements (cannot replace) the need to expend invaluable healing options (Restorative Mists MEC, Savior Support) outside of combat. ***Adaptive Bone Marrow, Mimetic Skin and Secondary Heart are best applied to Covert Operatives and Psionic Squad Leaders. 'Bioelectric Skin vs Mimetic Skin' Both mods are useful for their respective candidates and make good choices for early application. *'Bioelectric Skin' reveals hidden enemies (either in the fog of war or cloaked) within a short distance, marking their locations with a vague bioelectric outline. Also grants immunity to strangulation. **Bioelectric Skin exposes the positions of enemies, but does not reveal enemy type or their LoS. ***Bioelectrically marked enemies can still be triggered by soldiers as they move between cover when attempting an ambush. **Bioelectric Skin reveals Seekers and prevents strangulation. A single Bioelectric Skin soldier per squad eliminates the lethal cloaking advantage of Seekers (the main drivers for Bioelectric Skin). ***Bioelectric Skin is only available after facing Chryssalids, by which point better options are available to minimize Seeker impact that do not cost Meld. ***Bioelectric Skin's usefulness diminishes as Seekers become rarer late game. *'Mimetic Skin' confers the ability for a soldiers to conceal themselves when moving to high cover leaving enemies unable to target them. Does not work if any enemies have Line of Sight to the soldier's starting position. Leaving cover or firing will break this concealment. **Mimetic Skin is the most powerful gene mod (when properly utilized), allowing soldiers to remain cloaked indefinitely, and easily position themselves to employ "hit and fade" tactics. ***Mimetic Skin prevents foes from targeting or reacting to a cloaked soldier, allowing a squad of six to plan ambushes without the risk of detection, scout for Meld canisters, spot for for Squadsight Snipers, evacuate civilians, heal injuries, and out flank alien groups with ease. ***Mimetic Skin is not deactivated by use of non-lethal items and abilities (Psi Inspiration). ***Mimetic Skin, Adaptive Bone Marrow, and Secondary Heart are best applied to Covert Operatives and Psionic Squad Leaders. **Mimetic Skin soldiers can forgo Ghost Armor in favor of wearing other Powered Armors while retaining abilities that emulate Ghost Armor. Build and Tactics 'Sniper Class' * Muscle Fiber Density and Depth Perception: When both are combined with Damn Good Ground and a S.C.O.P.E., this allows Squadsight snipers to easily reach and fully utilize elevated positions. *'Mimetic Skin': When combined with Low Profile, this allows Covert Ops and Snap Shot snipers to remain cloaked indefinitely, and easily position themselves to employ "hit and fade" tactics. *'Adrenal Neurosympathy': Allows Snap Shot snipers and squad members to benefit. (Squadsight snipers frequently lag behind the rest of the squad.') *'Neural Feedback' and Neural Damping: These are only valuable to Snap Shot snipers. (Squadsight snipers are rarely within enemy LoS for psi attacks). 'Heavy Class' *'Adrenal Neurosympathy' and Hyper Reactive Pupils: When combined with a S.C.O.P.E., this allows Bullet Swarm heavies and squad members to benefit from firing twice in a single turn. *'Bioelectric Skin': When combined with Mayhem, and a Blaster Launcher,a Heavy can kill most enemies without being seen. *'Neural Feedback' and Neural Damping: These prevents a potentially dangerous situation: Heavies have no pistols to switch to, so Mind Controlled heavies will attack with high-powered weapons. 'Assault Class' *'Adaptive Bone Marrow', Mimetic Skin and Hyper Reactive Pupils: When combined with Extra Conditioning and S.C.O.P.E., this allows Rapid Fire, Close Combat Specialist, and Close and Personal assaults to remain cloaked indefinitely, roam far from allies when scouting for Squadsight snipers, safely sneak behind enemy lines to attack flanked foes, survive firefights while alone in flanking positions, allows for effective "suicide" attacks, and easily position themselves to employ "hit and fade" tactics. **When Close Combat Specialist activates, Mimetic Skin will deactivate, potentially exposing itself to certain death - care must be taken to stay farther back from enemies (or Hunker Down so your assault can't see anyone close), if you want to remain cloaked through the enemies' turn. *'Secondary Heart', Neural Feedback and Neural Damping: These prevents a potentially dangerous situation: Assaults are frequent targets for psi attacks, so Mind Controlled assaults prove extremely dangerous against allies, since these soldiers often ignore cover in order to deliver lethal point-blank shots; these Mind Controlled Assaults can be downed without concern, then revived afterwards. 'Support Class' *'Muscle Fiber Density', Mimetic Skin and Adrenal Neurosympathy: When combined with a Sprinter, this allows Savior supports to remain cloaked indefinitely, and traverse any terrain to heal injured allies with Medikits, in addition to providing adequate defense with Smoke Grenades. While lacking the Low Profile of the sniper, the Sprinter with the mimetic skin allows the support to be an effective scout/meld-getter, or a spotter for your Squadsight sniper. *'Hyper Reactive Pupils': When combined with a S.C.O.P.E., this allows Sentinel supports to benefit from firing twice in a single turn. Glitch *If a soldier gets knocked out by Neural Dampening whilst on Overwatch, followed immediately by an enemy crossing their line of sight and triggering a reaction shot, the game will get stuck in the slow-mo animation because the soldier is unconscious and unable to shoot. This will also happen when using Close Combat Specialist. Until this bug is fixed, it would be advisable to avoid putting soldiers with Neural Dampening on Overwatch when engaging Sectoid Commanders or Ethereals. Notes *Gene Modded Soldiers receive unique sleeveless armor design types with access to eight different armor deco options specifically just for them. Trivia *"Mutare Ad Custodiam" is Latin for "Change to Protect". Gallery XCOM(EW)_GeneMod_TreatmentComplete.jpg|A male soldier emerges from his first Gene Mod treatment. XCOM_EW_GeneMod_Soldier.jpg|A female soldier completes a Gene Mod treatment. XComEW_Gene_Mods_soldier_arm.png|Gene Mods apparently require cybernetically implanted components as well. XCOM_EW_GeneMod_ Psionic.jpg|Gene-modded soldiers can still gain Psionic abilities. XCOM_EW_GeneModSniper_KillsMuton.jpg|A gene-modded Sniper kills a Muton. XComEW_Genetic_Modification_XCOM_Database.png|XCOM Database image Category:Gene Mods (XCOM: Enemy Within)